What I've been up to in the last couple of years:

Trying to age gracefully...not really succeeding there!

Journaling every day in my little Hobonichi English Planner. (A6) Lots of life changes, births and deaths, check-ups, every-day mundane stuff. Still hanging in there!

Again, as in most years, my A6 Hobonichi is getting pretty chunky, and a little more difficult to write in. Time to look for something the right thickness to put under the right side of the planner to even out the levels that I'm writing on! In the above photos, I've used Micron pen (.02) watercolors, Washi tape and a variety of painted papers for collage.

It was really awesome to finally get to attend a workshop at Running Rabbit Studio in MI, with Ingrid Dijkers! I have followed her blog, artwork, and journals for years. Her studio was amazing, she was so welcoming and the class was SO much fun. Highly recommend!! 

Keep making art my friends!

Dianne

Hobonichi Journal Pages

 

It appears that we've had a

short Spring and moved directly

into Summer! Almost 80 degrees

Fahrenheit predicted for today

in Ohio!

A quick sketch of some of the 

violets in our yard, before 

mowing must commence.

My Hobonichi is my day planner,

documenting the small moments,

appointments, thoughts, and

life in general.

We were sick for most of the 

month of April, and into May.

Lots of journal pages document

how miserable I felt.

We are slowly on the mend,

but I broke down and went to the 

doctor.  My allergies just would

not let me kick the cough, so had

to get a prescription. I think it's

helping.

I am still being faithful to journal

in my little Hobonichi A6 (about 4" x 6")

Some days have quite a bit of writing, 

and some days it is mostly doodling.

Post Proof that I am alive and well,

even though I have neglected this

blog shamefully.  If you are on

Instagram, you can find me there:

www.instagram.com/dbcarey_2000

Turkey Tuesday

 

It is again time to prepare for a 

new year of journaling. 

My 2024 Hobonichi has arrived!

It is always a surprise how 

small my A6 Hobonichi English Planner

starts out in the new year...

no wrinkled pages from

watercolor and pen, no

added thickness from tipped-in

pages or collages. You'd think

I would be used to it by now, 

after eight years using this Planner!

Pictured above, just a month and

a half left to go in the 2023 journal.

The 2024 journal, beneath it, has

"new" Tomoe River paper in it.

From what I can piece together from

on-line articles, a new company has

taken over the TR paper, using

new machinery, and a slightly different

method/recipe. Apparently the old

machinery was just worn out.  I'm 

hoping for a similar result with the 

new paper, but we shall see. Paper

quality does affect the ease/results

of art work quite a bit!

Drawing mushrooms this month for

the Hobonichi Challenge (Instagram)

My Instagram is: 

www.instagram.com/dbcarey_2000

Even if you are not on Instagram, I believe you

can still view my posts on your computer

at this address, as my profile is Public.

Just click on the link above, and hopefully

my posts will come up.  (Tech challenged

senior here, trying to keep up!)

Also checking in with some old friends today

for T Tuesday,

 ( https://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2023/11/t-stands-for-surprise-and-happy-mail.html?m=1

featuring my mocha coffee in

the photo above. I love this Debbie Mumm

 snowman cup...I use it year-round!

It's a rainy Tuesday here in Ohio today, so

a warm beverage is a plus.

Wishing everyone who celebrates

Thanksgiving this week, a warm

and wonderful day with family

and friends! 

Making a Messy Art Journal

This journal is made from an old book, just the

back and the spine.  No front cover, and the

 pages are not stitched into the cover. 

This makes it easy to remove the 

pamphlet-stitched book to work 

on the pages.  I added a little decorated 

clip to secure the pages.

Fun painted paper scraps and

bits of vintage stitching...

Made in a workshop offered on-line

by @raspberrybluesky, Michelle

Schratz, @Robenmariesmith,

Sara Strandquist @seesarastitch,

and Leaca Young @leacayoungart.

This is one of four journals taught

in the class. Enjoyed it very much, and

 unique approaches to creating

art journals are presented.

It's not like I really need more art journals,

but they're so fun to make!

Painted and doodled papers

are easily found around here...

I had to include some of my Mom's

drawings (these are copies)

from the early 1950's.

This journal style encouraged loose

and messy stitching, which is not

what I'm used to as a stitcher, but

the artist in me rather enjoys 

dangling threads and not worrying

about perfection.

I'm still journaling daily in my

little Hobonichi A6. Doodling and

documenting my every-day activities.

These days it's a trip to the store or

to our parents' to help out. Not a 

lot of excitement around here.

But so glad to see Spring arrive here

in Ohio! 

I'm so rusty at blogging, and really

find the Blogger process unwieldy after 

using Instagram. But thought I should

check-in and share some colorful

pages!  Hope you enjoy some sunshine

and art today!

Please visit me on Instagram at 

www.instagram.com/dbcarey_2000

 

I'm Still Journaling Daily

 

 I've also been doing the Index Card a Day

Challenge created by Daisy Yellow.  Here are

some of last week's:

It's been abnormally busy for us the last couple of weeks! Lots of family adventures.
- Went on the Donut Trail in Butler County, OH. We visited 10 Donut shops in 2 days!
-Visited the Dayton Air Force Museum
- Son and his family visited for a week, and our son painted our house! 
- Lots of good meals with friends and family
- Trees were cut down and wood stacked
-Back to school shopping
- Games and puzzles were enjoyed
-Time with Art Buddies
-A good report at the Doctor's office
- Cutting up branches downed in our yard from storms
- Journaling and sketching
- Helped put up gutters and downspouts in 90 degree F temps and survived without injuries! (there may have been some crankiness, and some bandaids applied,but that's understandable) and LOTS of soreness...
- A nice dip in a swimming pool, and yummy pizza
- Today I'm picking up peaches from The Peach Truck, so we will be having "peach everything" for a couple of weeks

Whew! Still plenty of things to work on around the house, but I think the predicted rain may give us some time to rest. But Laundry. It's never ending...

Below, find a link to a short video of some of my Hobonichi pages.  Hope I did this correctly and you can access it! 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R1Xb6Vn4HNXqjNiD8

Still over here journaling and drawing

every day...

...and stitching.

I hope your summer has been going well,

and you're staying cool!

Happy Holidays 2021

 I had some serious catching up to do in my journal after our Christmas guests left.

Doodling of animals happened...that lil' guy on the right is supposed to be a meercat.

And I do enjoy a Byzantine angel.  It occurs to me that the shading of the wings was the 13th century version of what we now call hombre coloring! 

Above, a snapshot of a drawing of my son's family, at his request. Left to right:

Internet/Gaming troll (grandson) Yes, he's taller than his dad.

Garden Gnome (our son)

Laundry Fairy (DIL)

Galaxy Princess (granddaughter)

I think they liked it. My son said I needed to make him look younger...lol.

The Christmas tree is still up, and will be at least until mid January. That's the plan anyway.

I got another smaller tree this year for my stitched Santas. I love it. It might end up being a seasonal tree that stays up all year. We will see. 

Best wishes and Peace to you. Here's hoping that 2022 will be an improvement over the last two years.

You can see more of my journals on Instagram

www.instagram.com/dbcarey_2000

Holiday Greetings

 

Sharing a few December doodles from my Hobonichi A6. It is small in size (about 4"x6") so the drawings are within that format.

Gnomes seem to be quite popular these days. I see them everywhere, not just in gardens!

The journal holds the records of our days plans, activities, and random thoughts. Nothing too profound...

Baking cookies, wrapping gifts, traveling and visiting. December is a busy time! Add in illness, car repairs, and preparation for guests, and before you know it, Christmas has sneaked up on you.

It only took me about 8 hours to decorate our Christmas tree...

Did you spot any coffee cups on my pages? It's kind of a daily ritual to doodle my coffee or tea, and my toast or other breakfast. I do try to journal every day. I recommend you give it a try!

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